The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-19
PURCHASABLE POLICE.
THEY APPEAR TO BE PLENTIFUL
IN NEW YORK CITY.

Clerks Distinguish Men From Diff
ferent Cities.
NEW YORK, Sept. IA party of gentle
men sat drinking wine in west side saloon
few Sundays ago. They had entered it
through a side door and narrow dark hall
way, supposed to be known only to regular
patrons The bouncer stood at the door to
keep out strangers. Nearly every first-class
saloon employs bouncer on Sundays He
is supposed to know every regular customer
of the place. While the wine drinkers
were sampling their second bottle two fash
ionably dressed men sauntered up to the
side door with an air of assurance and We're
refused admittance They looked astonish-
ed, said they were regular habitues of the
place and insisted on going in. The bouncer
reluctantly let them pass. They sat down
at table and ordered and drank some
whisky. Then one of them approached the
proprietor of the place, unbutConed his vest
and revealed shield. He and his compan-
ion were special detectives on the look out
for violators of the Sunday closing law.
The proprietor scarcely changed counten-
ance when he discovered the nature of their
mission, although his arrest meant the loss
of his license and the ruination of his prof
liable business He and the officer with the
shield held brief parley, the other officer
standing by as a witness.
You are not going to arrest me| said
the proprietor.
II must, " insisted the officer. "They are
so strict now in enforcing the closing law
that can't help it
The proprietor smiled and invited the of
ficer to step in back room. The two soon
emerged; the officer nodded to his compan-
ion, and they went out. No arrest was
made. When they were gone the proprie-
tor looked happy as he sat down among the
wine drinkers and said: 1T only cost me
sos this time. When the license fee was S15,
the regular rate of getting immunity
from arrest when one of those fellows
caught you was S25, but when the license was
raised to $500, and disposition shown to
enforce the law more strictly, had to pay
$50"
"Why don't you complain of those men,"
asked one of the wine drinkers. The pro
prietor turned pale at the very suggestion,
and said: 1T would ruin me. | would be
hlate1 ont OF business in "a month. Ole
liquor dealer in New York tried it and was
driven to the wall. He had been putting up
$50 week to special officer, who finally
raised the sum to 500 week That was
more than he could stand and he refused to
come down any more. In month his place
was closed.n
One of the party of wine imbibers, who
was a stranger in New York, expressed sur
prise at what he had heard, and the proprie-
tor proceeded to tell him of the methods of
some of the officers who see to the enforce
ment of the Sunday closing, or under GER
tain conditions are blind to it, Under
stand, he said, Il do not say that all these
special officers are blackmailers but my
cash account shows that some of them are,
and | know several dealers who have had
the same experience. 1t costs me about $50
month to keep those fellows at bay. Some
times one of them will drop in Oft weekday
make himself known and say: "Give me
paper of tobacco. ! want ons of those prize
packages We know what prize package
means. wrap up the tobacco in $40 bill
and hand it to the fellow, who goes away
satisfied for the time being. These precinct
detectives who were just in here are not I'M
der the direct control of the Inspector but of
the Captain. Besides two special detectives
in each precinct there is the special excise
officer. If he is inclined to be crooked he
is more to be feared than the precinct do
tectives He is detailed from some squad
and sent into precinct where he is not
known. and instructed to arrest vioators of
the excise law. If he is fortunate enough
to get into aprecinct where there are 800
or more saloons, he reaps a rich harvest
The crooked precinct detectives, VINO are in
pairs, have to divide, but your special excise
l know one of them whose operations be-
came so bold that he had to resign. Shorty
after he left the force he bought fine
house and had capital enough left to 90 in
to business. The procrietors of small places
have to put up $40, or, perhaps, as little as
s., to keep from being led to the station
house when one OF these law enforcers in
citizens clothes catches him. l once knew
a poor saloonist to get off for SO 80, but the
enforcer was in hurry to get home and the
saloonist was inclined to be obstinate In
entering places like this the officers disguise
themselves in the garb of well-dressed men
about town, but wnen sent over on the east
side an excise officer will put on ovecals and
play the working man racket. The saloon
ist thinks 1t hard to refuse an honest labor
ing man drink, he admits the fellow and
pretty soon discovers that the workingman
wears fine linen under his rough clothes and
shield on his suspender. You know the
law provides that we must close at o'clock
in the morning on week days | once
knew policeman who used to make a good
thing for himself on his day off by going
about in citizens clothes and pretending to
arrest saloonists whose places were open af-
ter o'clock III the morning. Another dodge
the crooked law enforcers have is to come
around and borrow s.. to be returned when
they get their pay. We never expect to
see 1t again and we don't"
a lew NeSAs ago reporter had striking
illustration Of the fact that one New YORK
policeman will take bride. The reporter
hal been detailed TO write up a big fire on
the HavmGrket. He had left the office in too
great haste to get the fire badge which each
reporter must wear to get through the line
of police surrounding big fire He ex-
planned the matter to burly policeman,
who grufily said:
'Ye can't go through
The reporter insisted and the policeman
was obstinate but finally he turned upon
the news gatherer with a knowing leer and
said:
Lets see if you're worth the price of
drink"
The reporter was entirely solvent, he led
the way TO a saloon and set 'em up for the
representative of the majesty of the law.
who had no sooner gulped down his grog
than he said:
''Now give us MOTHER
The second drink was forthcoming and
down going, and then the officer issued the
edict:
snow you may pass the fire line"
AMOS j. CUMMINGS.
A New Yorker in the streets of his native
city is now common sight. Everybody is
20,